


To See You Again

by extremelyperturbed



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Drama, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-11
Updated: 2016-06-11
Packaged: 2018-07-14 08:42:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7162865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/extremelyperturbed/pseuds/extremelyperturbed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I did this in answer to a request at the http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/21013.html?thread=53108501#t53108501  </p><p>"Tony practically turned white when he saw Pepper's name on that teleprompter. Well what if after that moment after he left the stage, instead of running into that mother just then, he ran into Pepper who made it after all.<br/>Tony turns white at seeing her and right away feels a mix of emotion, the one surfacing the most, anger. But Pepper seems composed and handling it well, greeting him curtly as if they weren't ever dating.<br/>Then the mother with the tragic story of her son shows up to tear into Tony. Pepper either intervenes or she doesn't, up to you. But afterwards, she surprises Tony but trying to give him some comfort</p><p>Not exactly meant to be a fix-it between Tony and Pepper. More like a lost/alternate scene that can still fit with the movie ."</p>
            </blockquote>





	To See You Again

"Pepper?" said Tony. "What are you doing here?" It came out way sharper than he wanted but seeing her name on the teleprompter had put him off balance. He can't help feeling abandoned by her leaving but it's more outweighed by the way his eyes tear up slightly at seeing her again in person. It's been a few months. 

Unlike her nickname, she remains cool and collected. She's dressed in pale blue and white, completely professional with sensible shoes. Occasionally, Tony thinks he should have nicknamed her Cucumber instead but it has absolutely no flow with her last name. "I was curious to see how you were doing. It looks like you're doing all right."

"You should see me the rest of the time. Anyway, you should have been the one to introduce it since you were the person who came up with it in the first place."

"I needed a break. People tend to. I should go." 

"You still care!" said Tony but she kept walking off. Tony was stifling the impulse to run after her when Miriam Sharpe started to talk to him.

***

Later that day, he's still thinking about what Miriam said to him about the death of her son in Sokovia, a death she blamed on him, when his cell phone rang He looked at it and was surprised to see it's Pepper. Don't be a jerk, don't be a jerk, he thought as he pushed the button. "Hello, Tony Stark here."

"It's me, Pepper."

"Something wrong?" He's always worried that even though they've separated, someone will hurt her to get back at him because damn it, he still loved her. 

"No, want to meet for brunch?"

"I can do brunch," he says. "I can make brunch."

"I'd rather we meet on neutral territory."

"Sure, name the place."

***

Pepper looks a bit surprised to see him. Bistro Unique's a casual place but well-reviewed both by Zagat and Yelp. 

"I promised to come."

"You're actually early. I was half expecting you to call back and say that something came up," said Pepper. 

He doesn't argue with her. He knows that he's done it enough times that it's no surprise she expects it. "I really wanted to see you." 

They sit down at a table in the corner, specially requested for privacy. She ordered a green goddess salad and a mushroom omelette and a glass of fresh orange juice. Tony ordered an Eggs Benedict and a rasher of applewood-smoked bacon with a glass of mimosa. 

"That woman who said those things to you yesterday . . . She doesn't know you like I do."

"You were eavesdropping?"

"A little yeah but I didn't want to mess things up further by interfering."

"She's right though. I mean, even when I mean well, I tend to really screw things up. And people get hurt even die because of that." Like you, he thought. It's only sheer luck that she's still sitting across from him and not under a headstone. 

Pepper puts her hand on top of his then pulls back as if remembering they're not together anymore. "It's not all about you and everything's not all your fault." 

"I . . . I haven't been seeing anyone since you left," said Tony. It's not a lie. He hasn't even been having casual one-night stands. Between being busy with his projects and being depressed about Pepper, he doesn't have the time or the inclination. Sex used to be his go-to analgesic but it's one he knows won't do a quantum of good for him at the moment.

"Tony . . ."

"I know that I haven't been spending enough time with you and I'm not the easiest man to put up with . . ." He's said these things before so he knows that they're not the magic words to put things right but he doesn't know what else to say. His taste in gifts is pretty much excrement.

"Here are your drinks," said the waitress as she gives Pepper her orange juice and Tony his mimosa.

Pepper takes a sip. "When you destroyed the suits, I thought we could have a quiet life or as quiet a life we could have. But that's not who you are. I realized that even when I'm eighty, things would still be like this. And you talking about children made me realize that I had to leave."

"You don't want kids?"

"I don't want to be a single parent. You told me about how your mother was the one who was there when you played a singing carrot during a grade school play, that she was the one who drove you to the hospital when you got knocked unconscious when you were beaned by a baseball and that your dad was there mostly to make you feel small."

"Are you saying I'd treat our kids like crap?"

"I'm saying that if you can't be with me now, how you can you be there enough for a family? I can live without a family but I know that you really want children. It might be that a more traditional woman can give you what you really need. Or maybe someone who can go on missions with you. I don't know but I think that woman's not me." Pepper sighed. "Look, I just wanted to say that people don't know your heart is in the right place. In a lot of ways, you're more America than Steve is. You're wealthy, good-hearted and you want to spread your ideas and dreams but you also have blind spots and sometimes you don't know when to stop."

Tony wanted to say something but the waitress came with their dishes. 

"Can I see you again?" said Tony after the bill has been paid and they walked out of there.

"Not for a while. I'm working on a small project I want to keep under wraps for a little bit longer. Don't look so sad, you've got some really great friends."

"Yeah, they are but they're not you."

"Goodbye, Tony." 

The End


End file.
